


a thought of you for every star in the sky

by oldpapertowns



Series: chemical christmas 2020 [7]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Comfort, Ficlet, M/M, Stargazing, chemical christmas, minor(?) character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:42:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27940955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldpapertowns/pseuds/oldpapertowns
Summary: “Did I ever tell you about Yue?” Sokka asks suddenly.“No,” says Zuko, though he has an idea. “Do you want to tell me about her? You don’t have to.”It takes Sokka a while to respond, and when he does his voice is more somber than normal. “No. You deserve to know.”
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko, past Sokka/Yue
Series: chemical christmas 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036416
Comments: 9
Kudos: 126





	a thought of you for every star in the sky

**Author's Note:**

> day 7 of chemical christmas - star! prompt list by @saintmichale_ on instagram
> 
> yue post #2?!? im deadass posting all of these during class help
> 
> title from ‘my heart i surrender’ by i prevail
> 
> if youve been following the college au series (which if you have: thank you so much ily) you Might notice this was one of sokka’s captions in [disneyland, stolen hoodies, and a cat named druk](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27885955). yeah, that… was to set this up. i’ve had the idea for this work for a while now but i decided to kill two birds w one stone when i saw the prompt list. happy reading!

After Sokka introduces Zuko to the roof of the astrology building, it quickly becomes one of his favorite spots to go to, especially when Sokka’s with him.

One day, when the sun sets over their heads without either of them realizing, Sokka pulls out a blanket from his bag.

Zuko stares at him. “Where did you get  _ that _ from?”

Sokka grins. “You got cold the first time, so I added a blanket to my bag. Just in case.” He unfolds it and wears it like a cape, holding out an arm. “C’mere.”

Zuko snuggles under Sokka’s arm without a second thought, curling into his side. Then a thought comes to mind and he leans back, forcing both of them onto their backs.

“Horizontal, Z?” Sokka asks, smirk evident in his voice.

“Shut up,” Zuko grumbles, huddling closer to Sokka. “Didn’t you say you wanted to stargaze a few months ago?”

Zuko hears Sokka turn his head to look at Zuko but Zuko doesn’t meet his gaze, staring up into the clear sky. “Yeah. I’m surprised you remembered.”

Zuko doesn’t mention that he remembers almost everything Sokka talks about because he’s ridiculously smitten, shrugging instead of talking.

Sokka shifts again, turning his head back towards the sky as he points out various constellations. He runs out of them pretty quickly, but they stay attached to the other’s side, heads pressed close together as they gaze up at the sky.

“Did I ever tell you about Yue?” Sokka asks suddenly. “She’s the one who taught me all of this.”

“No,” says Zuko, though he has an idea. “Do you want to tell me about her? You don’t have to.”

It takes Sokka a while to respond, and when he does his voice is more somber than normal. “No. You deserve to know.”

Yue, it turns out, had been Sokka’s first serious girlfriend when he’d been a high school freshman.

“It was something like love at first sight,” Sokka says. Then he huffs out a breath of laughter. “Or infatuation, or something. We dated for a month, then she got hospitalized.”

The cause of hospitalization had been an extremely rare condition and one that caused Yue to barely be able to move even a finger after only two days in the hospital. Her health declined so rapidly that Sokka had only been able to visit her once to bring her a necklace.  That visit, after fastening the moon pendant around Yue’s neck, he’d gathered her in his arms to find her looking up at him with a sad smile on her face. Then her eyes had closed for the last time, face peaceful, and the heart monitor had flatlined.

As Sokka finishes speaking, Zuko wraps his arms around Sokka’s waist and squeezes, trying to convey what he can’t through words. After a moment, he brings his leg up too.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about her earlier,” whispers Sokka, running a hand through Zuko’s hair.

Zuko shakes his head from where it’s laying on his chest. “You didn’t have to tell me about her at all, Sokka. Just because we’re together doesn’t mean you have to tell me everything about yourself.”

Sokka doesn’t respond, though his grip around Zuko tightens.

The two of them continue laying there and watching the stars twinkle.

“The moon’s beautiful tonight,” says Zuko after a while.

“Yeah,” Sokka says softly. “She is.”

“Does she remind you of Yue?” Zuko asks gently.

“She does,” Sokka admits. “But it’s never a painful memory. Yue was such a kind, gentle, and loving person that it’s hard for the memories I have with her to be painful.” He flips them so that he’s the one hugging Zuko, then tucks his head into the crook of Zuko’s neck. “I just wish I could have cherished the moments a bit more.”

“She may have passed,” Zuko murmurs, pressing a kiss on Sokka’s head. “But her spirit still lives on. First in you, now in both of us. Thank you for telling me, Sokka.”

Sokka looks up at Zuko with a small smile, stars making a home in his eyes.

The two of them don’t talk afterwards, but they don’t have to, nestling themselves into the silence of the night. Above them, the stars and crescent moon continue glowing.

**Author's Note:**

> i imagine zuko digging out his camera after a while bc nothing cheers sokka up more than being a model for his bf (apart from shopping), which is how the instagram post became a Thing
> 
> thank you for reading!! feel free to drop kudos/comments + stay safe!


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